What is Synthetic Turf?
Synthetic turf is artificial grass that can be used in a variety of places, including your own yard. The first synthetic turf was Astro Turf and was placed on the Astro Dome back in 1966. Many people still call it Astro Turf because of this, but the more generic term is synthetic turf or artificial grass.
Installing Synthetic Turf
There are many websites that will tell you how to install synthetic turf, and many videos, as well. You can find the websites if you just do a little research on “how to install synthetic turf.” This article will also share a few tips that experts have shared to install turf.
- Remove Grass
Your first step is to remove all the grass that is in your yard using either a shovel or sod-cutting machine. Make sure that you dispose of the unwanted grass in a way that is appropriate to your city or county ordinances. You want to make sure that you are being eco-friendly when you do dispose of your grass.
- Level the Ground
Use builder’s grade sand, gravel, or crushed rock to help you level your yard, using a shovel or rake to help you to spread it around evenly. You need to spread it so that it is about one to one-and-a-half inches deep all over. When it is even all over, use a tamper or 2 by 2 piece of plywood to tamp all the sand or other material down. You want to make sure it is all even and there are no bumps or dips.
- Weed Barrier
Lay down a weed barrier of some kind all over the sand or other material that you put down. This should cover the ground completely, and you should overlap the edges by at least a foot to make sure that it is all covered. You need to secure it using landscaping staples every three to four feet. There are websites that show you the best types of weed barrier to use to have the best results. You can do your own research and find the best that works for you.
When laying down your synthetic turf, you need to make sure that all the blades of grass are all facing the same way. This makes the synthetic turf look more realistic. If you have more than the width of one roll, stagger the end seams to make it look more natural. Trim the edges with a utility knife, being careful not to cut the turf.
- Joining Together Two Widths
Depending on the size of your yard, you will probably need to join two pieces of the turf together. The turf usually comes in widths of twelve to fifteen feet each, so you probably will need to join them together.
Using a utility knife you want trim the edge of the pieces, doing so from the other side. You want to make sure that the edges do not overlap. Be very careful not to cut the turf side, you do not want the edge seams to be seen. Roll the pieces back and then put joining tape underneath. Use synthetic turf adhesive to the joining tape and make sure the seam matches up.
- Nail It Down
Now take a rubber hammer and nail the turf down using long lawn spikes or galvanized nails. You want to put them every three or four feet to make sure that you have good coverage. Make sure that you spread the turf apart where you will put the lawn spike or nail, and then cover it back up when you are done.
- Clean It Up
Once you have nailed the synthetic turf all down, make sure you take a stiff bristled brush or broom and sweep the turf all in the same direction to make it look good. This will be the time to add infill to your turf, this will help it to lay the proper way. If you do some research, there are websites that can show you how to do all of this, like this one: https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-lay-artificial-grass/. Do your research and you will have the perfect lawn.
Conclusion
This is just a quick synopsis of how to install your synthetic turf if you want to do it on your own. You can always call a professional to do it for you, but that can cost up to ten dollars a foot on top of the cost of the materials. It is not an easy process, but it is not too difficult either. You will have to decide how you want to install it, either on your own or with a professional. If you do it on your own, there are also many videos on the internet that can help show you how to do it.